Part 32 (2/2)
”This isn't personal, Reid, so don't get your knickers in a twist.”
Kate could tell that Reid was dying to respond to that, but he held his tongue.
”This is business,” Buddy said, addressing Kate now. ”Big business. It's the kind of business all the young ingenues and wannabes would give their right t.i.tties for. h.e.l.l, I remember a time-not all that long ago-when you'd give your right t.i.tty for it.”
”Just for the record,” Kate said, ”I was never that desperate.”
Ashton snorted with what might've been a laugh.
Buddy slammed his fist on the desk, making them all jump. ”It's not funny! I've busted my a.s.s making you into a star. It's what you told me you wanted. I gave you everything, and I'll be G.o.dd.a.m.ned if I'm going to let you walk away at the peak of your career all because you want to get laid.”
”Buddy!” Reid said. ”You will not talk to her that way!”
Kate tightened her grip on Reid's hand to keep him from launching out of the chair to beat the c.r.a.p out of his best friend. ”While I appreciate your candor, Buddy, this really has nothing at all to do with s.e.x, although as you and the rest of the world now know, the s.e.x is pretty d.a.m.ned good.”
That made Ashton laugh out loud, which spurred nervous laughter from Jill.
A warm look of camaraderie and-maybe something else-pa.s.sed between them. But before Kate could examine the vibe more closely, Buddy was launching into a tirade about contracts and schedules and tours and other words that had once defined Kate's life. Not anymore.
”I'm sorry you're upset,” Kate said. ”But my decision is final. I want out.”
”For how long?” Buddy asked.
”I don't know.”
”So we're not talking about a vacation?”
”No. We're talking about a life. I want a life. I want a family. I want to know my little brothers and see my parents for more than a rushed dinner every couple of months. I want to actually live at the house I spent so much time and money building. I want to ride the horse that isn't going to live forever, as much as I might wish to believe otherwise.” She stopped, glanced at Reid, who was gazing up at her with love and pride. Tearing her eyes off him, she looked at Buddy. ”I'm sorry. I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I can't help how I feel.”
”And I can't help thinking you're making an impulsive decision in the midst of what's been a rough stretch for you, between the pneumonia, the fainting, the video. No one would blame you for being sick of it. h.e.l.l, a big part of me doesn't blame you. Don't you think I get sick of the demands on my time, the rigors of running a business while trying to be creative, the endless string of nameless, faceless venues that all run together in one big blur of stage lights? Do you think I don't get sick of being away from my wife and kids?”
”I don't know,” Kate said. It had never occurred to her that Buddy didn't love every b.l.o.o.d.y minute of it. No one did a better job of balancing a career and family than Buddy Longstreet.
”I do. I get G.o.dd.a.m.ned sick of it. But I have a s.h.i.+tload of people depending on me for their livelihood. I don't have the luxury of walking away, and you know what? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, sweetheart, but you don't have that luxury either. While you were out becoming a big star, you might not have noticed that you employ a lot of people. What about them? What becomes of them?”
A pervasive sense of guilt filled Kate as it occurred to her that beyond Jill, she hadn't given much thought to what would become of the rest of her employees. Ashamed, she forced herself to look at Buddy. ”I a.s.sumed I could give them severance packages-”
Buddy's scoff ended the sentence prematurely. ”And then what do they do?”
”You're not being fair, Buddy,” Reid said. ”The music business is the backbone of this city. Don't make it sound like they won't be able to get other jobs.”
”Sure, they can get other jobs. But there's a big difference between being a roady for Kate Harrington and hauling speakers for John Q. Up-and-coming singer-and you know it. You're acting like they don't matter at all.”
”Of course they matter to me,” Kate said. ”You know they do.”
”Then don't do this to them. Don't do it to yourself. If you need a break, take one, but to completely walk away is not only irresponsible, it's downright mean to your fans and your employees.”
When it came to laying down guilt trips, Buddy Longstreet had written the book. He had her questioning everything she'd so recently decided.
”Surely,” Ashton said, startling Kate, ”there's something in the middle between going full tilt and quitting entirely.”
Intrigued, Kate forced herself to look directly at him for the first time since she entered the room. She half expected him to be looking back at her with acrimony, but rather she saw something far more conciliatory. ”Like what?” she asked.
”What if you confined your touring to summer months only and spent the other nine months of the year at home. You've got the studio at home, so you could work on new music the rest of the year. That way you wouldn't have to quit or fire your employees, but you could have the normalcy you seem to crave.”
”That's a fine idea, son,” Reid said. ”What do you think, darlin'?”
”I sort of had my heart set on not working at all,” Kate said.
”And you really think you could do that?” Jill asked. ”When you're not performing, you're composing. If my phone is my Siamese twin, your guitar is yours. Sometimes I wonder if you sleep with it.”
That drew a laugh from everyone and went a long way toward easing some of the tension that had crept into the conversation.
”She's right,” Buddy said. ”I can't picture you without the music, and I can't picture music without you.”
”Ashton's idea does have merit,” Kate said. Though she felt somewhat begrudging about admitting that, she kept it out of her tone in deference to Reid.
”I agree,” Jill said. ”It would allow you to have the best of both worlds.”
”And if we have children,” Reid said, ”they could tour with you in the summer so you'd never have to be away from them.”
Kate really liked that idea.
”Kids?” Ashton said. ”Seriously?”
Reid sent him a sheepish grin. ”What can I say? The girl wants a baby.”
”And you want that? At your age?”
”Watch it,” Kate said. ”He's not exactly senile-yet.”
”Like Jill,” Reid said, smiling at her, ”I want what Kate wants. She's convinced me that our children would be lucky to have whatever time I've got to give them, and she'll finish the job for me if it comes to that.”
”Which it won't,” Kate said. ”I appreciate everything y'all have said, and I promise to think about it before I do anything hasty.”
”Well,” Buddy said, sagging into his chair, ”that's a G.o.dd.a.m.ned relief.”
”I thought Taylor had broken you of your swearing habit,” Kate said.
”s.h.i.+t,” Buddy guffawed. ”That'll be the f.u.c.kin' day.”
They all busted up laughing, filling Kate with relief. They'd figure something out where her career was concerned, but she'd just taken a huge first step toward the life she wanted so badly. And it seemed that she'd broken the ice with Ashton, which was also a welcome development.
She turned to Reid. ”I'd really like to go home.”
”Before you do,” Buddy said, ”we need to talk about this video and what you're going to do about it.”
Kate felt her good mood start to evaporate. ”Do we have to?”